Saphira
Saphira (pronounced "suh-FEAR-uh"), also known as Saphira II (used by fans to distinguish between the two dragons named "Saphira" in the books, the other being the dragon formerly bonded with Brom), Flametongue by the Urgals, as well as''' Bjartskular''' (meaning "Brightscales" in the Ancient Language) by the elves, was the only female dragon known to exist during the time of Eragon II, aside from Eldunarí. She was bonded to Eragon Shadeslayer as her Dragon Rider after her egg was rescued by the Varden's agents from the clutches of Galbatorix and was transported to the Spine by Arya, where Eragon found her. She was trained by Glaedr while Eragon was being trained by Oromis. Eventually Oromis, Glaedr, Saphira and Eragon started having classes together, then finally Eragon and Saphira had to leave to get ready for battle. History A century of waiting Saphira was the only bonded egg given to the riders from the mating of Iormûngr, a male dragon bound to a Dragon Rider, as well as Vervada, a wild female dragon. Both dragons perished during the Fall of the Dragon Riders. Saphira's sapphire-blue colored egg, along with two others (emerald green and ruby red) were found and taken by Galbatorix during the Fall. Galbatorix tried desperately to find a Rider for whom the eggs would hatch, but was unsuccessful. None of the dragons responded to the touch of anyone in the Broddring Empire. Later in Galbatorix's reign, a former Rider known as Brom and a scholar named Jeod discovered a secret entrance into Urû'baen. The Varden appointed a thief, Hefring, to steal the eggs. However, he only took one egg (Saphira's egg) and he kept it, all the while, running from Brom. The egg was later taken from him by Morzan, who might have slain Hefring. Brom eventually tracked down and killed Morzan and Morzan's Dragon, thus recovering the egg for the Varden. The egg was then transported back and forth from the Varden to the kingdom of the elves Du Weldenvarden, in the hope that the Dragon would eventually hatch. The egg-courier was Arya, daughter of Islanzadí, the Elf queen. Unfortunately, the egg didn't hatch. After fifteen years, Galbatorix sent the Shade Durza to ambush Arya. Arya was captured and her two companions murdered, but not before she successfully teleported the egg towards Carvahall, where she hoped it would reach Brom. However, the Eldunarí in the Vault of Souls, which is in Doru Araeba (on Vroengard), changed the flow of magic so that Saphira's egg would appear to Eragon instead—the dragons thought that Saphira might hatch for Eragon and they were growing restless waiting for Galbatorix to be overthrown. Before they reach Vroengard, they thought that Arya had accidentally sent her to Eragon, as they were very similar in character. Birth and early life The egg was found by Eragon while he was hunting in the mysterious mountain range known as the Spine. Eragon first mistook it for a blue stone of great value. A few days later, Saphira hatched for him. When Eragon touched the newborn dragon, his right palm burned suddenly and sent an icy feeling throughout him. This gave him the gedwëy ignasia, the mark of a Dragon Rider. Their minds were linked mentally and almost immediately they were able to communicate with images and feelings. Journey to the Varden Saphira and Eragon's bond grew stronger with time as they escaped from Carvahall with Brom to hunt the Ra'zac for vengeance after the murder of Garrow, Eragon's uncle. Later, with Murtagh's help, Saphira rescued Eragon from an Imperial prison in Gil'ead. Eragon found the elf who was really Arya whom he had seen in his sleep. They fled to the Beor Mountains in search of the Varden. After a long journey through the Hadarac Desert and being chased by the Urgals known as Kull, they arrived at Farthen Dûr: capital of the Dwarves and hiding place of the Varden. There, Saphira and Eragon met Ajihad, leader of the Varden, who offered them shelter from the Broddring Empire. Soon, a legion of Urgals under Durza's command attacked Farthen Dûr. After a long battle, the Varden were victorious. Saphira's armor was damaged, but Arya fixed it and they blew apart a massive sapphire, distracting the Shade Durza and allowing Eragon to kill him. Rider War To Ellesmera Saphira and Eragon travel to Du Weldenvarden to continue their training. Because of the guilt the elves felt due to the Fall of the Dragon Riders, Saphira was treasured among the elves. She and Eragon were there taught by Glaedr, a surviving dragon and his Rider Oromis (Known as The Mourning Sage and The Cripple Who is Whole). Saphira hoped Glaedr would fall in love with her and they would reproduce and therefore revive the race of dragons, but this never happened. Some of the elves were spiteful and mean. They said they thought a man not a boy would save them. Battle of the Burning Plains Their training was interrupted when Eragon and Saphira flew to the aid of the Varden and fought in the Battle of the Burning Plains. During the battle, Eragon and Saphira were defeated by the new Rider and Dragon, Murtagh and Thorn. Exploiting a loophole of Galbatorix's orders, Murtagh spared Eragon and Saphira, on account of their former friendship and family ties. He did however kill Hrothgar, the dwarf King, and cause Eragon a great deal of anguish. Then he reclaimed Zar'roc since it was rightfully his by birth before departing with Thorn. Helgrind Saphira, Eragon, and Roran went to Helgrind to kill the Ra'zac and Lethrblaka, as well as rescue Roran's beloved, Katrina. Saphira was forced to separate from Eragon when he found Sloan and decided to spare his life. Saphira flew Roran and Katrina back to the Varden, while Eragon traveled across a significant portion of Alagaësia. Glaedr's revelation Upon returning to the Varden, Nasuada sent him to Farthen Dûr to help oversee the appointment of the new dwarven monarch. After Orik was appointed king by the Clanmeet, Saphira joined Eragon in Farthen Dûr to honour Orik as king in the public ceremony and give the dwarves the gift that she owed them: repairing the Isidar Mithrim (star sapphire) which she and Arya had shattered when they flew to Eragon's aid in his battle with the Shade, Durza. Saphira and Eragon then flew to Du Weldenvarden to complete their training with Oromis and Glaedr. Here, Glaedr revealed that dragons possessed a heart of hearts, also known as an Eldunarí. Dragons could place their consciousness in it if they so chose. Saphira helped Eragon gather the brightsteel from under the Menoa Tree (by attacking it) so he and Rhunön could forge Brisingr, Eragon's new sword. Glaedr gave Saphira and Eragon his heart of hearts, which they promised to safeguard. Saphira and Eragon joined the Varden's Siege at Feinster, aiding the Varden in their victory. During a separate battle at Gil'ead, Glaedr and Oromis were killed by Murtagh and Thorn, who were possessed by Galbatorix. End of the war Saphira was almost fatally wounded by a Dauthdaert at Belatona. She carried Eragon and Glaedr to the island of Vroengard through a fierce storm, using a Breathing Spell to survive. On the island, she, together with Eragon, found their true names and entered the Rock of Kuthian with Glaedr. Saphira was overjoyed by the revelation of the secret Eldunarí and dragon eggs. She took part in the battle with Galbatorix, battling Shruikan with Thorn so that Arya could utilize the Dauthdaert. She gave energy to Eragon when he used the spell to defeat Galbatorix. Saphira and Eragon helped to restore order in the chaos after Galbatorix's death but eventually decided that the best course of action would be to take eggs and Eldunarí with them, away from Alagaësia. After Fírnen, the emerald green dragon and last of Galbitorix's eggs hatched for Arya, he and Saphira fell in love. Saphira mated with Fírnen after a courtship ritual. Saphira carried Roran, Katrina, as well as their daughter to Ellesméra and then left Alagaësia with Eragon to rebuild the Dragon Riders. Physical appearance Saphira's scales and eyes were the color of sapphires, often described in the book as intense blue that refracted the light. The radiating blue tone of her scales resulted in the nickname given to her by the elves, Saphira Brightscales. Her color, as described in the book, differed in the movie where she appeared a rather dull blue. Her vision was enhanced, for she was able to see blues more clearly and vibrantly than reds and greens. Her talons and spikes on her neck, back, as well as tail were bone-white. She had two serrated fangs that jutted out of her upper jaw onto her bottom lip slightly, as well as with all dragons, had white, sharp, knife-like, meat-shearing teeth. Her head was roughly triangular and she also possessed four cheek spines, slightly curved horns and forehead spines between her horns. Her body stature could be inferred as very aerodynamic and built for flying, and in Eldest, Oromis said that he had never seen a dragon so skilled at flying and naturally suited to the sky. Despite her young age she is one of the strongest dragons ever seen. She was named Saphira after Eragon went to Brom for names of past dragons. It was the only one that Saphira liked, being that Eragon presented her with mostly male names. Eragon and Saphira later found out that it was also the name of Brom's own dragon. Personality Though Saphira was young, she was very wise and often comforted and guided Eragon, as well as sometimes others, when they were upset or needed advice. Saphira was very proud and it has been mentioned that she had never bowed to anyone except Islanzadí and several dwarves (while drunk). She also felt she was bending her pride slightly by calling Oromis and Glaedr "Master". Saphira was quite vain, thinking herself the most beautiful and magnificent creature in the world. While in Ellesmera, Saphira submitted to Glaedr. After he refused to mate with her, she attacked him, injuring both of them and becoming depressed. Eragon found her huddled up in a cave on the Stone of Broken Eggs, upset because she thought Glaedr didn't find her comely enough. Saphira would not hesitate to give people her blunt opinion and even threatened Ajihad by telling him that if he had tried to kill Eragon, she would have destroyed Farthen Dûr and torn him apart. Saphira also enjoyed fighting, but claimed that it was a good thing that Eragon didn't share her taste of fighting, as they balanced each other out. In battle she was ferocious and Eragon once told her that he was very glad they weren't enemies. It's likely that her ferocity came from her mother. As Eragon's dragon, Saphira had a deep emotional bond with him. As such, she would do anything to keep him alive. As a result, she went with him in most ventures, though not always agreeing with them. Her main goal was to keep Eragon safe, even stating that should Eragon be captured, she would go so far as to give herself up to Galbatorix, dooming Alagaësia, just to save Eragon. She was very protective of him and always looks out for his needs. In addition, Saphira's bond to Eragon was so strong that it could go to the point where sometimes Eragon and Saphira consider themselves as not as two beings but one. Saphira often calls her rider "little one" to show affection. In Brisingr, Saphira and Eragon's bond was developed to point where they were able to finish the others' sentences and to be able to anticipate what each other would say. Most of the time they did this without even realizing it. Etymology * A "sapphire" (from the Greek word "sappheiros" which means "blue stone") is a valuable blue gemstone.1 * Sapphira, for which "Saphira" is an alternative, is an actual name.2 Lineage Saphira's sire (father) was a bound dragon named Iormúngr and her dam (mother) was a wild dragon named Vervada. She is also related to an apparently famous dragon named Raugmar the Black who was the great-great-great-grandsire of Vervada. Raugmar in turn was a distant descendant of Belgabad, the largest and oldest wild dragon living at the time of the fall of the riders. Belgabad's skeleton was seen by Eragon and Saphira on their first trip to Vroengard to find the Vault of Souls.